Cristy Nowak

I grew up watching my mom sew. She could make anything, and her sewing machine was always the first thing unpacked whenever we moved (and we moved a . I spent hours wandering fabric stores, tucked between bolts of color and pattern. When I became a mother, I bought my own machine and started sewing clothes for my kids — until I made my first quilt in 1997. After that, I never looked back. Quilting quickly became the place where creativity, comfort, and connection came together for me.

These days, quilting is how I explore color, shape, and texture. I love mixing fabrics, playing with hue and value, and using thread and batting to bring softness and dimension to a design. My work ranges from wall hangings and table toppers to market bags, collage pieces, and the occasional bed quilt. I usually piece and quilt on my domestic machine, but I’ve recently added a longarm machine to my stable and have started to experiment with pattern and texture on a larger scale. After retiring from more than 20 years of teaching, I finally have the time and freedom to dive deeper into my craft and grow River Farm Quilting with intention.

I’m connecting with the maker community here in the Shenandoah Valley, collaborating with my daughter on a playful board‑game‑inspired design project, and building a body of work that reflects my love of color and craftsmanship. Looking ahead, I hope to share my work through quilted items, design‑driven patterns, and kits inspired by my creative explorations. River Farm Quilting is growing one thoughtful project at a time, and I’m excited to see where this creative path leads next.